Norris leads second practice session at Belgian Grand Prix

Dominika Jordan
Jul 26, 2024, 07:36 PM ET

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Lando Norris Tops FP2 Ahead of Piastri and Verstappen in Belgian GP Practice

Lando Norris displayed remarkable speed in the second practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix, clocking in 0.2 seconds faster than his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, with championship leader Max Verstappen finishing third.

Dry Track Conditions Favor Team Preparations

As predicted rain held off, teams capitalized on a dry Spa-Francorchamps track to gear up for both qualifying and the race.

McLaren Steals the Spotlight

Verstappen, despite facing a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday's race due to the installation of a fifth internal combustion engine, maintained his strong pace from FP1, setting the fastest time on medium tires during the initial laps. However, when the focus shifted to qualifying simulations on soft Pirelli tires, McLaren surged ahead.

Hungarian Grand Prix winner, Oscar Piastri, despite kicking up gravel at Turn 7 and losing valuable tenths, initially set the quickest time. Verstappen, narrowly missing Piastri's time by just 0.002 seconds, could not reclaim the lead. Meanwhile, Norris executed a flawless lap, posting a best time of 1m 42.260s, 0.215 seconds faster than any other driver.

Under-Pressure Perez Struggles Again

Sergio Perez, currently under scrutiny following a series of underwhelming performances, struggled once again. The Mexican finished FP2 a full second behind Verstappen in ninth place.

Ferrari and Mercedes Show Competitive Pace

Ferrari emerged as the third-strongest team during the session, with Charles Leclerc fourth at 0.577 seconds off the pace, and Carlos Sainz trailing 0.25 seconds further back in fifth.

George Russell led the Mercedes team in sixth place, one second off the leader's time. Esteban Ocon, set to join Haas, showcased resilience by finishing seventh for Alpine despite missing most of FP1 due to a suspected leak.

Magnussen Impresses for Haas; Hamilton Rounds Out Top Ten

Kevin Magnussen impressed by securing eighth place for Haas, while Lewis Hamilton, who has consistently finished in the top four over the last five races, rounded out the top ten.

Mixed Results for Aston Martin and Other Teams

Aston Martin found themselves just outside the top ten, with Lance Stroll narrowly edging out Fernando Alonso by 0.006 seconds. Valtteri Bottas demonstrated a slight revival for Sauber by finishing 13th.

RB faced a challenging session with Daniel Ricciardo in 14th and teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who will start at the back due to multiple engine component changes, in 20th place.

Pierre Gasly placed 15th, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg. The Williams duo of Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant, along with Sauber's Zhou Guanyu, completed the lineup.

Preparations for Potentially Wet Qualifying

Teams will now analyze their setups overnight, preparing for Saturday's final practice and qualifying sessions, which are expected to be significantly impacted by a high likelihood of rain.